Multicolor strobing pyrotechnic flare

Abstract

A multicolor strobing pyrotechnic flare including a plurality of alternating pyrotechnic layers. The plurality of alternating pyrotechnic layers includes n pyrotechnic layers and the n pyrotechnic layers include m different pyrotechnic layer types, n is 2 to 2,000 and m is 2 to 2,000. The n pyrotechnic layers include a first pyrotechnic layer and a second pyrotechnic layer and the first pyrotechnic layer includes a first pyrotechnic compound and the second pyrotechnic layer includes a second pyrotechnic compound. Burning of the first pyrotechnic compound emits a first color and burning of the second pyrotechnic compound emits a second color and the first color and the second color are different.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multicolor strobing pyrotechnic flare comprising a plurality of alternating pyrotechnic layers,
 wherein the plurality of alternating pyrotechnic layers comprises n pyrotechnic layers and the n pyrotechnic layers comprise m different pyrotechnic layer types,   wherein n is 2 to 2,000 and m is 2 to 2,000,   wherein the n pyrotechnic layers comprise a first pyrotechnic layer and a second pyrotechnic layer,   wherein the first pyrotechnic layer comprises a first pyrotechnic compound and the second pyrotechnic layer comprises a second pyrotechnic compound,   wherein burning of the first pyrotechnic compound emits a first color and burning of the second pyrotechnic compound emits a second color and the first color and the second color are different.   
     
     
         2 . The flare of  claim 1 , wherein the flare comprises a stack of the plurality of alternating pyrotechnic layers. 
     
     
         3 . The flare of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of alternating pyrotechnic layers comprises a third propellent layer, wherein the third pyrotechnic layer comprises a fourth pyrotechnic compound and the fourth pyrotechnic compound emits a fourth color when burning and the fourth color is different than the first color and the second color. 
     
     
         4 . The flare of  claim 2 , wherein the alternating pyrotechnic layers are provided in a repeating pattern wherein the second pyrotechnic layer is disposed between the first pyrotechnic layer and the third pyrotechnic layer in a repeating pattern of first pyrotechnic layer/second pyrotechnic layer/third pyrotechnic layer. 
     
     
         5 . The flare of  claim 1 , wherein burning of the pyrotechnic layers emits a color with a wavelength of 380 to 450 nanometers, 450 to 495 nanometers, 495 to 570 nanometers, 570 to 590 nanometers, 590 to 620 nanometers, 620 to 750 nanometers, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The flare of  claim 1 , wherein each of the alternating pyrotechnic layers comprise a pyrotechnic compound comprising an organic fuel, a metal salt, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The flare of  claim 1 , wherein the first pyrotechnic compound has a first burn rate and the second pyrotechnic compound has a second burn rate and the first burn rate and the second burn rate are different. 
     
     
         8 . The flare of  claim 1 , wherein the first pyrotechnic layer comprises the first pyrotechnic compound and a third pyrotechnic compound, wherein the third pyrotechnic compound has a third burn rate and the first burn rate and the third burn rate are different. 
     
     
         9 . The flare of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the first pyrotechnic layer and the second pyrotechnic layer are different or the same. 
     
     
         10 . The flare of  claim 1 , wherein the flare is in a linear stack configuration or a spherical stack configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The flare of  claim 1 , wherein a delay material is interposed between each of the alternating pyrotechnic layers. 
     
     
         12 . The flare of  claim 10 , wherein the delay layers burn with an illuminance of less than 0.05 lux. 
     
     
         13 . The flare of  claim 10 , wherein the delay material comprises an organic fuel. 
     
     
         14 . A method of providing a pyrotechnic effect comprising
 providing a multicolor strobing pyrotechnic flare comprising a plurality of alternating pyrotechnic layers, wherein the plurality of alternating pyrotechnic layers comprises n pyrotechnic layers comprising m different pyrotechnic layer types, wherein n is 2 to 2,000 and m is 2 to 2,000;   igniting a surface of the flare, wherein igniting the surface of the flare sequentially burns a first pyrotechnic layer of the n pyrotechnic layers and a second pyrotechnic layer of the n pyrotechnic layers, wherein as the first pyrotechnic layer burns the first pyrotechnic layer emits a first color and as the second pyrotechnic layer burns the second pyrotechnic layer emits a second color, wherein the first color and the second color are different.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein burning of the m different pyrotechnic layer types emits m different colors. 
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing a multicolor strobing pyrotechnic flare, wherein the plurality of alternating pyrotechnic layers comprises n pyrotechnic layers comprising m different pyrotechnic layer types, wherein n is 2 to 2,000 and m is 2 to 2,000. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of pyrotechnic layers is assembled layer by layer by additive manufacturing; by pressing a first pyrotechnic layer of the n pyrotechnic layers on a second pyrotechnic layer of the n pyrotechnic layers under pressure and pressing a second layer of the first pyrotechnic layer on the opposing surface of the second pyrotechnic layer and repeating the stacking and pressing process until a desired quantity of stacked pyrotechnic layers are attained; or by dispersing n−1 pyrotechnic layers in the first pyrotechnic layer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of pyrotechnic layers are assembled in a stack by an alternating coating process comprising:
 coating a first layer of a first pyrotechnic layer of the n pyrotechnic layers with a second pyrotechnic layer of the n pyrotechnic layers,   coating an opposing surface of the second pyrotechnic layer with a second layer of the first pyrotechnic layer, and   repeating the alternating coating process until a desired quantity of stacked pyrotechnic layers are obtained.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a delay layer is interposed between each of the alternating pyrotechnic layers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a first pyrotechnic layer of the n pyrotechnic layers comprises a first pyrotechnic compound and a second pyrotechnic layer n pyrotechnic layers comprises a second pyrotechnic compound, wherein burning of the first pyrotechnic compound emits a first color and burning of the second pyrotechnic compound emits a second color and the first color and the second color are different.